The Dirt Track at Charlotte

Moyer sweeps qualifying in World Finals debut

November 7, 2013, 1:29 pm

By Kevin Kovac

World of Outlaws Late Model Series

Billy Moyer was twice fastest during Thursday's World Finals time trials. (dt52photos.com)

CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 7) — Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., made a spectacular debut at the World of Outlaws World Finals, sweeping fast-time honors in both rounds of Thursday’s Qualifying Night program at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

The legendary driver was perfect in his first-ever World Finals appearance, topping an ultra-competitive field of 74 cars that were signed in for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series portion of the huge tripleheader weekend. The event also attracted 55 winged machines for the companion World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series meet and 49 entries for the Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified action. | Video | Notebook | Slideshow

World Finals Qualifying Night featured two rounds of WoO Late Model time trials — the first to line up Friday night’s heat races and the second to align Saturday night’s preliminaries.

Moyer, 56, turned a lap of 15.413 seconds in Group A during the first round of time trials and bettered that with a circuit of 15.304 seconds in Group B during Round 2. His clockings were the overall fastest of both qualifying legs, giving him the 17th and 18th WoO fast-time honors of his career.

The three-time WoO champion also became the third Late Model driver to sweep both qualifying rounds of the seven-year-old World Finals, joining Steve Shaver of Vienna, W.Va. (2007) and Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga. (2010).

Moyer’s standout performance came in what was surprisingly his first stab at the World Finals. He traveled to Charlotte to compete in the 2009 weekend but headed home without even entering the Qualifying Night program after pulling out of the rescheduled WoO LMS Topless Showdown that preceded that year’s World Finals.

“I came out here last year just as a fan and watched,” said Moyer, who still holds the one-lap track record at The Dirt Track (14.672 seconds on April 18, 2008). “It was a good show to get to watch all of the classes and the track was good. That kinda made me want to go ahead and come back this year.”

With the evening’s large field split for both rounds of qualifying, drivers in Group A competed for starting spots in Heats 1-3 on Friday and Saturday and those in Group B qualified for positions in Heat 4-6 both nights. Moyer will start from the pole position in Friday night’s first heat and Saturday evening’s fourth preliminary.

“We haven’t been here for a while,” said Moyer, “but to come back and run as well as we have so far, that’s a good thing for sure.”

WoO regulars Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., and Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., also registered group fast times during Qualifying Night. Lanigan was quickest in Group B during Round 1 with a lap of 15.484 seconds, while Clanton was best in Group B during Round 2 with a circuit of 15.619 seconds.

Clanton’s strong showing during the second round was a complete turnaround from the problems he experienced earlier in the night. During Round 1 he was 35th-fastest out of 37 qualifiers in Group A after hitting a rut and breaking the right-front frame rail on his Kennedy Motorsports car.

WoO points leader Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who sits on the cusp of clinching his third career WoO championship, was fourth-fastest in his group during Round 1 and second-fastest in his group during Round 2. He will start Friday night’s first heat from the outside pole and Saturday night’s second heat from the pole position.

The World Finals continue on Friday and Saturday (Nov. 8-9), with gates opening at 3 p.m. and hot laps scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. each day. Each card will include a 50-lap A-Main for the WoO LMS, a 30-lap A-Main for the WoO STP Sprint Car Series and a 40-lap headliner for the Super DIRTcar Series big-block Modifieds.